Columbus State volleyball opens season on road

The Columbus State volleyball program has been around for just two years -- starting up again in 2013 after a three-decade hiatus. And those two seasons have gone in different directions.

The first season -- 2013 -- the Lady Cougars started with six straight wins, went 12-6 in the Peach Belt Conference and finished 20-11.

Last season, they went 14-15 -- 9-9 in conference -- after a 3-9 start.

Year 3 begins Friday when CSU travels to Milledgeville, Ga., to take part in the Bobcat Classic at Georgia College. CSU play Wingate at 2 p.m. and Shorter at 4 p.m. The Lady Cougars will also play Limestone at 2 p.m. Saturday.

"Our preseason has gone well," CSU coach Casey Cornett said. "We started off stronger than I think we've been in preseasons past. The preseason is always long, and by the time it's toward the end, the team is ready to show their stuff in an actual match."

"We did not make it easy on ourselves," Cornett said. "Wingate is a nationally ranked team and they're known for their consistency. This is really going to push us and make us rise to the challenge, and I'm hoping we do."

CSU opens with 13 straight matches on the road. CSU does not play a home match until Oct. 2.

CSU returns eight players from last season, including middle blocker Megan Frame and libero Caytlin Merritt. Frame led the returners with 239 kills last year and was among the Peach Belt Conference leaders in blocks with 99. Merritt anchored the Lady Cougar backline last season ranking in the league's top 10 with 457 digs.

This story was originally published September 3, 2015 at 9:55 PM with the headline "Columbus State volleyball opens season on road ."